AITA members call EC meet after president seeks court to void election results

NEW DELHI, June 18: AITA President Anil Jain, against whom a no-confidence motion was proposed by state associations last year, has requested the Delhi High Court to declare null and void the federation elections conducted in September 2024, prompting irate Executive Committee members to call for a meeting on June 27.
One of the affiliated units of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) had alleged at that time Jain had used his position in the federation for personal gains. The no-confidence motion, though, was withdrawn ahead of the AGM that elected a new body.
But since the election results remained with the court in a sealed envelope due to a petition filed by Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja challenging the validity of the polls, the newly-elected office bearers remained outside the system.
Responding to the same petition, Jain in his prayer, filed on May 26, said that the AITA elections should be declared null and void but requested the court not to appoint a Committee of Administrators (CoA), saying it would “invite objections and adverse reactions from the ITF (world governing body) as well as the ATF (Asian body) and would also hinder the functioning of AITA.”
The prayer said the ultimate objective of amending the constitution and ensuring efficient functioning of AITA at the same time can be achieved by the present management under the supervision of the court.
However, the EC members claimed that Jain did not consult them before filing the reply on behalf of the Federation.
“Such a reply needed EC concurrence. He can’t just go and file it in the court like this. EC has to pass a resolution, only then a petition or a reply can be filed. He is trying to disqualify all other members,” Hironmoy Chatterjee, who issued the EC meeting notice, told PTI.
“As of today unauthorised people are running the organisation,” Chatterjee added.
Jain told PTI that he did not need to consult anyone.
“I am still President of AITA. They did not consult me when they filed a writ against the Secretary General. They have vested interest. I did not agree with the election process so I did not file my nomination. They did not follow tenure guidelines of the Sports Code,” Jain said.
“AITA should be compliant with the Sports Code. It is fair. The EC meeting they have called is also illegal. The Secretary General has not called it and I have not been consulted for it,” he said.
“They had brought that no-confidence motion against me on filthy and baseless ground.” AITA constitution says that it is the Secretary General, who can convene meetings of the Central Council and Executive Committee with the consent of the President.
Chatterjee, who is also President of the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA), explained that the constitution also empowers the EC members to call a meeting if the Secretary General does not do so within a month of the receipt by him of a requisition in writing from three members.
“We can call EC meeting. Clause 8 (d) (iii) of AITA Rules and Regulations empowers us to do that,” Chatterjee, who is also AITA Vice President (Sports) said.
When Secretary General Anil Dhupar was approached, he admitted that such a rule empowers the members to call for a meeting but that should be under “normal circumstances”.
“As of today the matter is sub-judice, therefore I told them that it is advisable to take direction of the court before calling an EC meeting,” Dhupar told PTI.
The EC meeting notice, issued on June 16, made it clear that it will discuss the role of Secretary General as per AITA Constitution.
Dhupar has attained the age of 70 and Sports Code does not allow office bearers to remain in office beyond that.
“BCCI is set to appoint an interim President after incumbent Roger Binny attains the age of 70 next month. So Mr Dhupar should also quit,” said another EC member.
Dhupar contended that AITA Constitution allows him to complete his term even after touching the 70 years of age.
“The AITA constitution says that if any member is elected before the age of 70, then he/she shall continue the full tenure. And I am continuing in the chair because the court has asked to maintain status quo,” Dhupar, who is now 71, said. (PTI)